Spoke-brace for vehicle-hubs.



N-o. 720,745. PATENTED FEB. 17. 1903.

B. A, SHEPLEY. SPOKE BRAGE FOR VEHICLE HUBS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29 1902.

H0 MODEL.

W/ TN/ ESSES zvmgzv TOR THE NORW-S PEYEHS co, Puc'roLm-m. 'ASHINETGN. u.l..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN ALBERT SHEPLEY, OF LESTERVILLE, MISSOURI.

SPOKE-BRACE FOR VEHlCLE-HUBS.

$PECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent NO. 720,745, dated February17, 1903. Application filed November 29,1902. Serial No. 183,215. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN ALBERT SHEPLEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lesterville, in the county of Reynolds and State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spoke-Braces for Vehicle-Hubs; and I do declare the following to bea full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvments in devices forsecuring spokes to hubs; and it consists in the provision of meanswhereby the attachment is inserted in the aperture in which the spoke'is inserted in the hub and securely held to the latter and adapted tosecurely hold and bracethe spoke when adjusted in place.

The invention will be hereinafter fully described and then specificallydefined in the appended claim and is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form apart of this application, and in which drawings Figure 1 is alongitudinal section centrally through a hub and longitudinally througha spoke and my attachment applied thereto, and Fig. 2 is an enlargeddetail view in perspective of the attachment.

Reference-now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, Adesignates a hub of a wheel, having apertures A for the reception of thespokes B. These spokes may be of the ordinary construction and having atapering end 06, which is inserted in the apertures of the hub. Theattachment forming the essence of the present invention consists of ametallic member 0, which has a curved or angled face upon one side toconform to the shape of the spoke against'which it is to be held.Projecting from one face of said memher is a flange or spur C, which isadapted to be driven into the hub, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of thedrawings, and the projecting flange D is designed to fit over thehub-band E in the manner illustrated. After said member has beenadjusted to the hub the spoke is driven in the aperture between thecurved or angled face of said member and the opposite wall in the hub byreason of the shape of the face which engages the spoke. The latter willspring slightly and be held securely within the aperture in the hub, andthe spoke will be securely braced by the inclined portion 0', whichholds the upper part of the member rigid, throwing the strain whichcomes upon the member against the band of the hub.

From the foregoing it will be observed that by the provision of a braceattachment embodying my invention a wheel is strengthened at the weakestpart of the spoke, and

throwing any strain that may come upon the spokes at the strongest part,or outside the end of the brace.

-While I have shown the particular construction illustrated, it will beunderstood that I may make slight alterations in the detailedconstruction of the attachment without departingfrom the spirit of theinvention.

'Having thus fully described my invention,

.what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In combination with a hub with bands about the same with their inneredges flush with the walls of the spoke-sockets of the hub, a boxingfitted within the bore of the hub, a spoke-bracing member having itsspoke-engaging face angular, and its inner end resting against thecircumference of said boxing, a laterally-projecting wing designed torest upon one of said bands, and a solid portion of said memberextending the entire length of said wing, and extending to the upper endof the member, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

BENJAMIN ALBERT SI-IEPLEY.

Witnesses: I

WILLIAM ZIMRI CARTER, C. O. ODELL.

